Gillian Forrester

Professor Gillian Forrester is a distinguished academic holding dual roles as Professor of Comparative Cognition at Birkbeck, University of London, and Professor of Evolutionary & Developmental Psychology at the University of Sussex. She serves as Deputy Dean for the School of Science at Birkbeck and leads the Comparative Cognition Group, focusing on cognitive evolution and development across species. At the University of Sussex, she is Academic Lead for Public Engagement, driving initiatives like the Me, Human project to promote science accessibility and advocacy for women in science.

• Education: BSc in Cognitive Science (University of California, San Diego); PhD in Experimental Neuroscience (University of Oxford)
• Affiliations: Founder/Director of the Me, Human project; Co-Director of the SOFAR Network (Supporting Female Academics)

Her research explores cognitive evolution in humans and primates, with emphasis on motor biases, lateralization, and developmental markers for neurodiversity. Key areas include infant gaze patterns, primate handedness, and evolutionary links between motor skills and social cognition. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust and Simons Foundation, her work bridges academia and public engagement through media appearances (BBC, CNN), festivals, and educational programs like the Baby Grow project.

• Awards: Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority; Daphne Jackson Trust Research Fellowship
• Grants: Leverhulme Trust; Simons Foundation

She actively collaborates with institutions globally, including the BBC and Royal Society, and has published extensively in journals like Scientific Reports, Cortex, and Animal Behaviour. Her outreach includes hosting events like Think Again! and contributing to TV series such as BBC’s Secrets of the Brain.